Method for sewing concealed slide fasteners



Aprii 11, 1961 P. E. CRYSTAL 2,979,003

METHOD FOR SEWING CONCEALED SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Jan. 16, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 1 IHIIIIIIIIIIII 'IIIIIIIIIIIL INVENTOR. /Z// A C/P/ITALApf i l 11, 1961 P. E.-- CRYSTAL METHOD FOR SEWING CONCEALED SLIDEFASTENERS Filed Jan. 16, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. P/V/Z/P E(ff/554A April 11, 1961 P. E. CRYSTAL METHOD FOR SEWING CONCEALED SLIDEFASTENERS Filed Jan. 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Pfl/L/P i.(CF/174A MAW Ute

Philip E. Crystal, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignor to Irving Constant, Esq.,New York, NY.

Filed Jan. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 709,379

4 Claims. (Cl. 112-265) The present invention relates to a machine andmethod for sewing concealed slide fasteners, and more particularly to amachine and method for sewing concealed slide fasteners wherein thesewn-in slide fastener closely resembles a seam when the slide fasteneris closed, and wherein the stitching joining the slide fastener to thecloth of the garment to which it is attached extends for the full lengthof the slide fastener and is concealed.

The Duchan method for inserting concealed slide fasteners, which methodis described in United States patent application Serial No. 692,772filed October 28, 1957 for: Machine and Process for Sewing ConcealedSlide Fasteners is the finest method heretofore developed for insertingconcealed slide fasteners upon a garment. In this method and apparatusthe concealed slide fastener is manipulated by the hands of the user,although such manipulations are maintained at a minimum level, the useraligning the slide fastener elements manually during the operation ofthe process, so that proper attachment of such slide fastener elementsto the garment may be had.

I have now discovered a method in which alignment by mechanical means ofthe slide fastener elements during a major portion of the sewing-inoperation is possible. In my method, the tapes bearing the slidefastener elements may be sewn to the garments carrying such tapes alongthe full length of such tapes.

I have also discovered a machine for sewing in concealed slide fastenersin which mechanical alignment of the slide fastener elements during thesewing-in operation is effected for at least a portion of the sewing-inoperation.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel machine forsewing concealed slide fasteners onto a juxtaposed cloth.

This invention has as another object the provision of a machine whichcan sew concealed slide fasteners onto juxtaposed cloth at a rapid ratewith a minimum of manual operation and in which alignment of the slidefastener elements by mechanical means during at least a portion of thesewing-in operation is achieved.

This invention has as yet another object the provision of a machine forsewing concealed slide fasteners onto a cloth so that the line ofstitching joining the concealed slide fastener to the cloth isconcealed.

This invention has as a further object the provision of a machine forsewing concealed slide fasteners onto cloth in such manner that when theconcealed slide fasteners are in their closed disposition the appearanceof a genuine seam is closely simulated.

This invention has as still a further object the provision of a methodfor sewing concealed slide fasteners onto juxtaposed cloth in suchmanner that when the concealed slide fasteners are in their closeddisposition the appearance of a genuine seam is closely simulated.

This invention has as yet a further object the provision of a method forsewing concealed slide fasteners onto juxtaposed cloth in whichalignment of theslide fastener Patented Apr. 11, 1961 ice elements bymechanical means during at least a portion of the sewing-in operation isachieved.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer tolike parts:

Figure 1 is a plan fragmentary view, viewed from above, of the presserfoot and needle plate portion of the sewing machine of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a plan view similar to that of Figure 1, except that thepresser foot is removed in order that clarity of underlying parts may behad.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the portion of the machine shownin Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the portion of the machine shownin Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the presser footand needle plate on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a plan view revealing the manner in which a tape bearingslide fastener elements is stitched to cloth by the machine of thepresent invention in accordance with the process of the presentinvention.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an exploded view, partially in section, of the presser footused in the sewing machine of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a view demonstrating the appearance of a concealed slidefastener when the same is in its closed disposition attached to cloth bythe process of the present invention, said view demonstrating theseam-like appearance of the slide fastener.

Figure 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a View revealing a concealed slide fastener which may beattached to cloth by the machine of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view revealing the first stage of theprocess of the present invention.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic View revealing a later stage of the processthan is revealed in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic View of a still later stage of the processthan is revealed in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view of the final stage in the process ofthe present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figures 1 through 5inclusive, the machine of the present invention is designated generallyas 20. Such machine 20 may comprise a single needle lock-stitch sewingmachine. For the sake of simplicity and clarity of presentation, onlythose portions of the machine 20 needed to comprehend the presentinvention will be described herein, it being understood that theremainder of the machine 20 is of conventional construction.

The machine 20 includes a presser bar 22 in which is held by means ofset screw 24 the presser foot 26.

The presser foot 26 (see in particular Figure 8) is of the type ofpresser foot known as a gauge foot and includes the gauge bar 28 whichis retained by closure member 30 on the uppermost surface of the presserfoot 26, and in particular Within a notch 32 provided on the instep ofthe presser foot 26. The gauge bar 28 includes a flat reciprocallymovable member 34 which is received within notch 32, and an offsetprojection 36 which is carried on the free end of member 34, such oifsetprojection 36 being juxtaposed to and parallel to the straight outsideedge 38 of presser foot 26.

The closure member 30 of presser foot 26 is secured 8 f to presser foot26 by means member 30 being resilient so that it spring-urges the member34 of gauge bar 28 into the notch 32.

Release lever 42 projects through presser foot 26, its lowermost end 44being cross-shaped and received within a notched groove in presser foot26 behind closure member 30. Downward movement of release lever 42 (inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 8) urges closure member30 upwardly whereby the lowermost portion of closure member 30 isdisengaged from the uppermost surface of member 34, permitting themember 34 to be reciprocally moved within the notch 32 in presser foot26.

The uppermost surface of member 34 may be provided with spaced indiciain order that the inside face of ofiset projection 36 may he spaced-fromthe outside edge 38 of presser foot 26.

The toe 46 of presser foot 26 is gently curved inwardly, as seenparticularly in Figures 1 and 6.

Beneath the presser foot 26 is the plate 48, sometimes referred to asthe throat plate, sometimes as the face plate, and referred to herein asthe needle plate 48. The outer edge 50 of needle plate 48 is arcuatelycurved, as shown particularly in Figure 2.

The outside edge 38 of presser foot 26 extends on both sides of theneedle guide hole 52 which is disposed on such outside edge 38. As seenfrom Figure 1 the presser foot 26 is superposed above the needle plate48, with the entire presser foot 26 being disposed above the needleplate 48 and Within the border formed by the arcuate outer edge 50 ofneedle plate 48.

The arcuate outer edge 50 of needle plate 48 extends outwardly itsmaximum distance in the portion of the needle plate 48 which includesthe needle hole 54, such needle hole 54 being spaced from the arcuatelycurved outer edge 50 by the land 56. In the illustrated embodiment, theneedle hole 54 is generally elliptical with its of retention screw 40,closure A form of concealed slide fastener 78 which may be utilized inaccordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 11. The preciseconstruction of the concealed slide fastener 78 forms no part of thepresent invention, a wide variety of such concealed slide fastenersbeing described in the art. A suitable example of a concealed slidefastener which may be utilized in the present invention is that shown inUnited States Letters Patent 2,738,560 issued March 20, 1956 to JacquesHug entitled Concealed Slide-Fasteners. The finished sewn article isshown in Figures 9 and 10, and by reference to Figures 10 and 11, asuflicient understanding of the concealed slide fasteners structure maybe had to follow the manner in which suchconcealed slide fastener 78 issewn to the cloth 80.

The slide fastener 78 includes a pair of element supporting tapes 82 and84 on which the elements 86 of the concealed slide fastener 78 arecarried.

. visible.

major axis running parallel to the major axis of the presser foot 26(extending from the presser foots toe to its heel) and also the majoraxis of the feed slot 58 through which the feed dog 60 projectsupwardly.

' The degree of curvature of the outer edge 50 of needle plate 48 issuch that a projection of the major axis of the elliptical needle hole54 intersects the curved outer edge 50 both before the needle hole 54and after the needle hole 54 (see points respectively designated A and Bin Figure 2).

As seen in Figure 3 the needle plate 48 is arcuately curved, with theneedle hole 54 beingdisposed at the highest point of such arcuatecurvature. The needle plate 48 is secured to the post 62 by front andrear retention screws 64 and 66.

A work plate or end plate 68 of conventional. construction is providedat the top of the post 62 for permitting access to the contents of thepost 62, such as the bobbin.

The needle plate 48 includes a dependent wall 70 beneath its curvedouter edge 50, which dependent wall 70 is integral with the remainder ofthe needle plate 48 and is arcuately curved to the same extent as theouter edge 50 of needle plate 48. Preferably the outer wall 72 of post62 is similarly arcuately curved so that a curved wall extendsvertically beneath the curved outer edge 50 which conforms to the degreeof curvature of the curved outer edge 58. As seen particularly in Figure7 the vertical height of the curved outer wall 70 (which, as heretoforeindicated, extends continuously with curved outer wall 72 of post 62) isappreciably greater than the maximum width of the slide fastenerelements which are to be stitched to the cloth by the machine 20 of thepresent invention. e

A needle 74 of conventional construction is carried by the needle bar 76and is reciprocally movable through the needle guide hole 52 of presserfoot 26 and the needle hole 54 of needle plate 48.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a tape 84 of the concealed slide fastener78 is joined to cloth 80. The cloth 80 includes a sewn seam 94 below theconcealed slide fastener 78 and a sewn seam 96 above the concealed slidefastener 78 (see Figure 9), such seams joining the cloth 80 togetherexcept for the gap intermediate the seams 94 and 96 which is occupied bythe concealed slide fastener 78.

The cloth 80 is folded back along fold line 98 (see Figure 7) to formthe exposed major portion of the cloth designated 80a and thefolded-under portion of the cloth designated 80b, such folded-underportion 80b being juxtaposed to the tape 84.

As seen particularly in Figure 7 the distance between the outer edge 50of needle plate 48 and the outer edge 38 of presser foot 26 in theregion of the needle guide hole 52 of presser foot 26 is approximatelyequal to the lateral dimension of the elements 86 of slide fastener 78.It is noted that such elements 86 are closely adjacent the outer edge 38of presser foot 26 and the inner face of offset projection 36 of gaugebar 28. Similarly, the maximum width of the land 56 between the needlehole 54 and the outer edge 50 of needle plate 48 is also approximatelyequal to the lateral dimension of the elements 86 of slide fastener 78,and in any event is sufficiently large so that said land 56 forms asupporting surface upon which the elements 86 may be rested, with aportion of such elements 86 overhanging the vertical wall 70 whichdepends from the outer edge 50 of needle plate 48. The line of stitching100 is secured adjacent the elements 86 since the needle guide hole 52of presser foot 26 is adjacent the outer edge 38 (actually being on theouter edge 38) of presser foot 26.

Folding back of the major portion 80a over the foldedunder portion 801:will conceal the line of stitching 100 so that such line of stitching100 may not be seen when the outside of the cloth 80 is viewed (seeFigures 9 comprising the panels 102 and 104 is worn and the folded-underportion which is hidden from view when the garment is worn by the majorportion 102a. Similarly, panel 104 is folded along fold line 108 toprovide the major portion 104a and the folded-under portion 104b, themajor portion 104a of panel 104 being seen by the viewer when thegarment comprising panel 104 is worn.

The first step in the process of my invention is the joinder of tape 112of slide fastener 114 to folded-under portion 104b of panel 104 (seeFigure 12). It is of course, to be understood that the slide fastener114 is identical to the slide fastener 78, and that the sewing machineused to effect the process of my invention is machine 20.

In the first step of my process, the concealed slide fastener 114 isjuxtaposed to the folded-under portions 102b and 10412 with its tape 116being juxtaposed to the folded-under portion 1432b and its tape 112being juxtaposed to the folded-under portion 104b, as shown in Figure12. The concealed slide fastener 114 is linearly aligned so that itselements cover the gap portion between seams 94 and 96. The clip 118 ofconcealed slide fastener 114 is positioned adjacent the seam 94.

In the first step of the process of the present invention shown inFigure 12 the slider 120 is moved adjacent the clip 118, namely near thebottom of the concealed slide fastener 114. Then with the elements ofthe tape 112 disposed in the manner in which the elements of the slidefastener tape are disposed in Figures6 and 7 the line of stitching 110is sewn adjacent the elements of the tape 112 down to the pointdesignated W in Figure 12. Thus, the line of stitching 110 is effectedwith the presser foot 26 retaining the elements of the tape 112intermediate the offset projection 36 of gauge bar 28 and the outsideedge 38 of presser foot 26, and the feed dog 60 advancing the panel 104in the direction indicated by the arrow to the left of Figure 12.

The location of point W is not critical as long as the same is at anappreciable distance from the ends of the concealed slide fastener 114,and in particular a sufficient distance from clip 118 so as to permitslider 120 to be received intermediate the clip 118 and point W.Preferably, as shown in Figure 12, such point W should be aboutthree-quarters or seven-eighths of the distance towards the clip 118from the uppermost end 122 of the tape 112 where the line of stitching110 was commenced.

When point W is reached, the gauge bar 28 is removed from presser foot26, which can be rapidly accomplished by moving release lever 42 ofpresser foot 26 in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 8 therebyraising the closure member 30 from the uppermost surface of the gaugebar 28 permitting the gauge bar 28 to be rapidly withdrawn from thenotch 32.

The slider 120 of slide fastener 114 is then moved upwardly away fromclip 118 past point W (see Figure 13) and the line of stitching 110 iscontinued from the point W to the lowermost end 124 of tape 112. Theportion of the line of stitching 110 intermediate the point W and thelowermost end 124 of tape 112 is effected by the presser foot 26 withthe gauge bar 28 removed. The control and retention of the slidefastener 114 in respect to the panels 102 and 104 during the portion ofthe line of stitching 110 intermediate the point W and the lowermost end124 is by hand.

When the line of stitching 110 reaches the lowermost end 124, thepresser bar 22 is raised thereby raising the presser foot 26 from tape112. The panels 102 and 104 are then reversed in respect to the machine20, with the tape 116 being placed over the needle plate 48 of machine20. Specifically, the end 126 of tape 116, namely the end of tape 116which is adjacent the end 124 of tape 112 and seam 94 is placed uponneedle plate 48 of machine 20. The line of stitching 128 is thencommenced. As noted in Figure 14, the line of stitching 128 is commencedwith the slider 120 being disposed at point X. The line of stitching 128intermediate end 126 of tape 116 and point X is effected with theelements intermediate the clip 118 and the slider being engaged. It iseffected with the gauge bar 28 removed, the juxtaposition of the tape116 in respect to folded-under portion 102b being manually controlled.The point X is positioned intermediate the clip 118 and the opposite endof the elements of the slide fastener 114 a distance sufficient toenable the slider 120 to be drawn away from the clip 118 and permit asufficient length of stitching of line of stitching 128 so that On thereturn of the slider 120 to the clip 118 the line of stitching 128 willextend well beyond the slider 120. Preferably, point X should be closerto clip 118 than to the opposite end of the elements forming the slidefastener 114. If desired, point X may coincide with point W, althoughthe same is not necessary.

When point X is reached, the presser bar 22 is again raised, and theslider 120 is moved adjacent the clip 118. The gauge bar 28 is insertedin the presser foot 26 and the line of stitching 128 is continued withthe elements of tape 116 being retained between the inner face of offsetprojection 36 of gauge bar 28 and the outside edge 38 of presser foot 26(see Figure 15). The line of stitching 128 is continued to the end 130of tape 116,

It will be seen that when the major portions 104a and 102a of panels 104and 102 are folded over their re- 'spective fold lines 108 and 106, thelines of stitching 110 and 128 are entirely hidden from view, beingbeneath the major portions 104a and 102a of panels 104 and 102. The foldlines 108 and 106 are preserved by the lines of stitching 110 and 128.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. The process of sewing a concealed slide fastener comprising a pair oftapes carrying fastener elements at their inner edges and a slider whichengages the fastener elements and which is substantially concealed whenthe slide fastener is in its closed disposition by one face of each ofthe tapes which is opposite to the face juxtaposed to the slider to apair of cloth members in such manner as to closely simulate a sewn seamwhen the slide fastener is in its closed disposition which comprisesfolding each of the cloth members along a straight fold line to form twoplies, arranging said folded cloth members side by side with their foldlines being adjacent, joining one of the tapes which carries thefasteners elements to a folded ply of one of the cloth members byjuxtaposing the face of said tape which conceals the slider to said ply,stitching a first portion of said one tape to said ply with the sliderbeing disposed away from said first portion of stitching and with thefastener elements of said slide fastener adjacent said first portion ofstitching being disengaged, guiding said first portion of stitching bymeans which straddle the fastener elements of said one tape to produce aline of stitching which is adjacent to and parallel to the fastenerelements carried by said one tape with said fastener elements beingdisposed intermediate the fold line of the cloth member and the line ofstitching, continuing said line of stitching of said one tape to a pointappreciably less than the requisite full line of stitching, stoppingsaid first portion of stitching, removing the means which straddle thefastener elements of said one tape, moving the slider to a pointadjacent said first portion of stitching, and completing said line ofstitching with a second portion of stitching, said second portion ofstitching being eifected while the fastener elements of the one tapeadjacent to said second portion of stitching are engaged with thefastener elements of the other tape, said second portion of stitchingbeing collinear with said first portionof stitching and closely adjacentto and parallel to the fastener elements carried by said one tape sothat said fastener elements are disposed intermediate the fold line ofthe cloth member and said second portion of stitching, reversing thecloth members, joining the other of the tapes which carries thefasteners elements to a folded ply of the other of the cloth members byjuxtaposing the face of said tape which conceals the slider to said ply,stitching a first portion of said other tape to said ply with the sliderbeing disposed away from said first portion of stitching and with thefastener elements of the tapes of the slide fastener being engaged witheach other adjacent said first portion of stitching of said other tapeto its juxtaposed ply of said other folded cloth member, continuing thestitching of said other tape to a point appreciably less than therequisite full line of Stitching, said first portion of stitching ofsaid other tape being a line of stitching which is adjacent to andparallel to the fastener elements carried by said tape so that saidfastener elements are disposed intermediate the fold line of the othercloth member and the line of stitching, stopping said first portion ofstitching of said other tape, moving the slider to a point adjacent saidfirst portion of stitching of said other tape, straddling the fastenerelements of said other tape with guide means, completing said line ofstitching of said other tape with a second portion of stitching, saidsecond portion of stitching being gmided by the guide means whichstraddle the fastener elements of said other tape and said secondportion of stitching being effected while the fastener elements of saidother tape adjacent to said second portion of stitching are disengagedfrom the fastener elements of said one tape, said second portion ofstitching being collinear with said first portion of stitching of saidother. tape and being adjacent to and parallel to the fastener elementscarried bysaid other tape so that said fastener elements are disposedintermediate the fold line of the other cloth member and said secondportion of stitching, removing the guide means from engagernent withsaid slide fastener, and superposing the remaining ply of each of saidcloth members over said lines of stitching by bending such remainingplies along the fold lines.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1 in which the lines of stitchingfor both of the tapes of the slide fastener run the entire length of thetapes.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1 in which the lines of stitchingof each of the tapes are parallel to each other.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1 for sewing a concealed slidefastener to a pair of cloth members which are joined together bycollinear seams which are above and below a gap between the clothmembers in which the slide fastener is inserted in the gap between thecloth members.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,078,874 Friedman Apr. 27, 1937 2,166,350 Freshman July 18, 19392,232,332 Levy Feb. 18, 1941 2,574,351 Rohrlick et a1. Nov. 6, 19512,667,849 Rohrlick et a1. Feb. 2, 1954 2,746,412 Roseman May 22, 19562,776,635 Blumenkrantz Jan. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 745,564 GreatBritain Feb. 29, 1956

